WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON? A Federal Update
1 Valerie C. Williams November 2020 The Power of Relationships Real world vs Washington DC Politics Policy Second Session 116th Congress
Convened - January 2020 Senate Impeachment Trial – January 2020 COVID-19 Stay at Home Orders – March 2020 Congress leaves for election campaigning- early October Election - President, House and 1/3 Senate – November 3, 2020 Lame Duck Session – After election Transition Recommendations and Transition Period – November to January November 2020 Elections
U.S. House of Representatives – All 435 seats U.S. Senate – 35 seats Countless state and local seats Federal election results, landscape, and ramifications Electoral College Breakdown What Happens in 2021?
• Inauguration on January 20th • New Cabinet and appointees if New Administration • Possible Cabinet changes if no change in Administration • 117th Congress Convenes - January 2021 • House and Senate Leadership determined • Committee Leadership and membership determined • Majority party in each chamber controls the agenda, serves as Chairpersons, has majority of members on committees/subcommittees • Any member can introduce a bill but leadership in each chamber determines what bills progress and are considered What’s on Congressional Plate for Next Six Weeks?
Passage of a Continuing Resolution for FY21 by December 11, 2020 COVID-19 relief bill Emerging or new issues Very few Congressional days or motivation to act before new Congress COVID -19 Legislation
Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, was signed into law on March 6. The $8.3 billion emergency supplemental spending bill was passed to help government health officials with research and purchases of medications for treatments and vaccines. Approximately $190 billion was included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, signed into law on March 18, contained provisions to provide free COVID-19 testing, increased federal funds to support state Medicaid costs, some increase in SNAP, expanded unemployment compensation, and paid leave and paid sick days for millions of workers On March 27, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This $2.3 trillion bill included $30.75 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund. Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, was signed into law on April 24 as a $483 billion package . Referred to as 3.5 added $310 billion to the PPP small business loans, $75 billion for hospitals and other health care providers and $25 billion for expanded COVID-19 testing, including funds to cover tests for those without health insurance. Pre-Election Attempts at 5th COVID-19 Bill
• House passed the HEROES Act in May ($3.3 T.) • Senate leadership introduced a smaller HEALS bill in late July –$1 trillion - no vote • Senate brought a smaller bill to the floor in September that did not get 60 votes - $500 billion ($15 billion child care and policy implications too) • “House Problem Solvers Caucus” has released a proposal - $1.5 trillion for 5-6 months • Senate “skinny” bill Major Disagreements for the 5th COVID 19 Bill – Close to $1 Trillion Apart
Education funds tied to open buildings and also vouchers/scholarships Amount of Education stimulus (IDEA specific funding is unlikely despite major advocacy efforts) - $105 B to $300 B Unemployment Insurance (individual checks) Amount of state/local stimulus funds - $100 B to $900 B Liability shield protections for employers from lawsuits. Amount of time period of extension of unemployment insurance provisions Amount of child care and Head Start stimulus funds Rental assistance Additional federal Medicaid match for longer time U.S. Department of Education
• COVID-19 • Policy • Equitable Services NASDSE COVID-19 Activities
Coalitions and partnerships NASDSE Briefs COVID-19 relief funding Ongoing concerns 2020 Funding for Education and State/Local Budget Relief That Could Support Education (Enacted & Pending) Billions of Dollars $915.0
$150.0 $72.9 $100.2 $105.2 $30.9 $0.0
US Dept. of Education 7/30/20 State & Local Relief 2020 Education Coronavirus Relief Less than 1/3 of Support in 2009 Recovery Act (Department of Education Discretionary Funding in Billions of Dollars)
$96.8
$72.3 $68.3 $68.1 $68.3 $70.9 $70.8 $64.1 $65.7 $67.3 $67.1 $66.9 $62…
$30.9
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Regular ED Funding Emergency Relief (2009 Recovery Act, 2020 CARES Act)
5/20/20 Authorization and Appropriations Processes
• Authorization – Legal authority to spend money
• Appropriations – Annual Congressional budget process that funds authorized programs and budgetary line items Mandatory Spending vs Discretionary Spending
• Mandatory – Funding automatically spent according to formulas; not subject to appropriations process - examples: Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security • Discretionary – Portion of budget where there are options; examples: national defense, food safety, education Education Accounts for Less Than 2% of All Federal Spending
2021 President's Budget Outlays by Category
Defense Discretionary
Non-Defense Discretionary - excluding education NDD - just education
Mandatory - Social Security 2% Other Mandatory
Mandatory - Net Interest
5¢ Makes Sense! #5Cents4Edfunding SOURCE: CEF based on FY2021 OMB Budget Education Gets Small Increase in FY 2021 House Bill: Still Billions Below 2011 Level in Inflation-Adjusted Terms (Department of Education Discretionary Funding in Billions of Dollars)
$70.9 $70.8 $72.3 $73.5 $68.3 $68.1 $65.7 $67.3 $67.1 $68.3 $66.9 $66.6
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 President House 2021 2021
ED funding 2011 Level in 2020 Constant Dollars
8/20 Federal Share Falling Further Below “Full Funding” Even as Dollars Increase, Compounding Cost Burden to State and Local Budgets
Source: CRS and ED funding history 1/30/20 GAO Reports
Oct 2020 – Disaster Recovery: COVID-19 Pandemic Intensifies Disaster Recovery Challenges for K-12 Schools June 2020 – Indian Education: Actions Needed to Ensure Students with Disabilities Receive Special Education Services April 2020 – Education Needs to Address Significant Quality Issues with its Restraint and Seclusion Data Mar 2020 – Information on How States Assess Alternative School Performance Dec 2019 – IDEA Dispute Resolution Activity in Selected States Varied Based on School Districts’ Characteristics (variations by income and race) July 2019 – School Districts’ Efforts to Address Lead Based Paint June 2019 – Education Should Take Immediate Action to Address Inaccuracies in Federal Restraint & Seclusion Data – Tied to KASSA legislation April 2019 – Special Education: Varied State Criteria May Contribute to Differences in Percentages of Children Served In Case you Were Wondering….Will We Reauthorize IDEA Soon?
Other education issues and hot topics… Reauthorization of: IDEA Higher Education Act (HEA) Privatization Significant Disproportionality Personnel Shortages Re-opening WIOA regulations Online learning Data Privacy School meals and other direct and tangential education matters And hot button topics….
COVID-19 Census Immigration Foreign relations Ongoing battles over: Health care - ACA Medicaid Nutrition Assistance – SNAP Disaster Relief Breaking News Thank you!